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Ferguson thrilled to be back

Greg Buckle

Australia A batsman Callum Ferguson is thrilled to be back in the whites again following knee surgery and says playing against England is "like gold".

The uncapped 25-year-old was named in Australia's 17-man Ashes squad on Monday and while unlikely to play in next week's first Test in Brisbane, he has been presented with another chance to impress selectors.

Ferguson will play for Australia A against England in a four-day match starting on Wednesday at Hobart's Bellerive Oval.

Quizzed on his aggressive attitude in his 35 off 45 deliveries with six fours in last week's first innings for South Australia against England, Ferguson says the ball was there to hit and he went for it.

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After scoring an unbeaten 11 in the second dig, Ferguson now has the opportunity to get a big total against England -- although the pitch was under cover because of showers on Monday and is expected to offer early life for the quicks on day one.

"After 11-and-a-half months of rehab, I really didn't expect to be here right now," a beaming Ferguson told a press conference.

"There's a lot of uncertainty when you hurt your knee like I did. I'm just thrilled to be back playing cricket.

"Every opportunity you get to play against a side like England is like gold and no doubt everyone will be running around like headless chooks and looking to put their best foot forward."

NSW and Australia A batsman Usman Khawaja is also edging towards a Test debut after being named alongside Ferguson in the Ashes squad.

"There's me and a few other young guys are around the joint too," said the 23-year-old Khawaja.

"It's a good thing for Australian cricket. A few young guys are coming up and scoring runs."

The left-hander shrugged off questions about the chance to make history as a Muslim Australian Test cricketer.

"I was born in Pakistan. I came here when I was about three-and-a-half to Sydney," he said.

"For me just being selected to play for Australia andgetting a baggy green will be the best thing in the world.

"I've dreamt about it ever since I was a kid."

Khawaja, whose boyhood idols were Adam Gilchrist and West Indies maestro Brian Lara, says he doesn't expect the Australian team to change much for the first Test.

"I never try to put too much pressure on myself. If it's meant to happen, it happens," he said.

Khawaja's NSW and Australia A team-mate Steve Smith, who made his Test debut this year against Pakistan, is also pushing his claims this week.

"I've been working relatively hard on my spin bowling of late. That's probably going to be my way into the side at the moment," the leg-spinning all-rounder said.